Start by Spending One Billion [Entertainment Industry]-Chapter 38

It wasn't too bad when the live - stream wasn't cut off. But once it was, the viewers who had been gathered in the live - stream room went crazy and then scattered everywhere.

Moreover, most of the viewers were extremely excited.

The main reason was that it was so realistic!

At first, some people asked questions like "Is this a production by the program team?" or "Is this just a special effect?" But later, no one asked such questions anymore.

Countless screen - recordings flooded into various platforms and were re - posted and screen - captured multiple times.

Even those netizens who hadn't watched the live - stream and were firmly skeptical before clicking on the videos became half - convinced after opening them:

[These must be special effects, right?]

[The special effects are quite good. They do look real.]

[Is this a clip from a time - travel drama? It's quite novel.]

As soon as they saw such comments, the large group of live - stream viewers couldn't wait to leave messages to prove the authenticity.

[This isn't a special - effect video. These are really live - stream pictures. I saw them with my own eyes.]

[Me too. This is definitely not fake. The anchor was interacting with us all the time.]

[I was also at the scene. When that dragon's tail moved, I even sent a bullet - screen to remind Ou Zheng.]

[Ah! I only regret that the pixel wasn't high - definition enough. I really want to see a high - definition version. It must be so shocking!]

[So where is Ou Zheng! Why hasn't he shown up? Could he really have been arrested?]

There was no need for any moderation. When more than a hundred thousand live - stream viewers saw someone questioning, they naturally turned into "online promoters" on their own.

Having witnessed such a grand scene, they were so excited that they couldn't wait to share it with the whole world. Many of them had already shared the live - stream with their friends while watching, not to mention now.

When it came to the choice between "silent watching" and "active participation", most viewers chose the latter.

Thanks to their efforts, this "live - stream incident" quickly escalated.

How do big influencers like those on social media grow their followers? Isn't it by grabbing people's attention with such eye - catching topics?

While ordinary netizens were still debating whether it was real or fake, these big influencers had already sprung into action. Whether it was true or false didn't matter to them; they treated it as real.

If netizens wanted it to be real, then it was real, especially since it did look quite real.

If it turned out to be true in the end, they would be the front - line warriors.

And even if it was later proven to be false, it didn't matter because they had already gained the traffic and popularity.

Once the big influencers and various video accounts on different platforms got involved, the spread of this incident took a huge leap forward.

They all had a basic fan base, and it wasn't an exaggeration to say that word spread from one to ten and then from ten to a hundred.

Soon, topics like #Ou Zheng saw a dragon during the live - stream#, #Accidentally entered a Xianxia world during the live - stream#, and #The anchor traveled through time during the live - stream# quickly made it onto the trending lists.

It wasn't just the Weibo trending list. These video - related topics were even more popular on various video - sharing apps.

Once they hit the trending lists on different platforms, the popularity skyrocketed.

It was so real that even though the videos were blurry, some people were looking for details frame by frame in the long screen - recordings. There were even some skilled bloggers who asked professional people to conduct appraisals.

Of course, only they themselves knew whether these so - called "professionals" were really professional. Anyway, in the videos they released, all of them unanimously recognized the authenticity of the videos.

Not all those who joined in the fun were just making a mess. Netizens also had their own judgment. Soon, those well - reasoned analysis videos were pushed to the top of the popular lists.

The top - ranked one was a video by Shui Yizai Zhou, who always took a truth - seeking attitude in making videos.

His video got the most views mainly because he had already gained the trust of the audience, and with his large number of followers, people generally believed what he said.

Shui Yizai Zhou's attitude was as cautious as ever:

[I spent several hours watching all the screen - recordings and asked my senior brother to appraise them. He said that this video was definitely not a special - effect production. Although it was blurry, you could see every detail. For example, when Ou Zheng was running away, there was a gust of wind. Let's take a look at this screenshot.

Look, all the objects in the picture were swaying with the wind. Needless to say, Ou Zheng's hair was flying backward because he was running so fast.

Look at the leaves on this tree by the roadside, the feathers of the birds flashing across the sky, and I also found some grass growing in the cracks on the ground. The backward arcs of all these completely match the real situation.

And then there's this scene where many people in ancient costumes were practicing sword - fighting. I counted, and there were 458 people captured in the picture.

The most important thing is that although the shot was taken from above and it was blurry, as these 458 people moved, we could see that each person had a different face.

I believe that special effects can be made very real, but I really don't believe that they can make people's looks, expressions so real.

Of course, it's useless for me to just not believe it. So I managed to contact a special - effects expert, a certain boss. ]

The video showed a smiling photo of the boss as a token of gratitude.

[Thanks to the boss for being so busy but still willing to research and analyze with me. Anyway, after a series of analyses, the boss clearly told me that the current special - effects technology can't achieve the effect of simulating real human faces.

Especially when it's so far away and blurry but still shows such detailed features. If any team had achieved this, they would have become the shining stars of special effects. So the pictures we saw could only have been achieved with real people.

As for the sword - fighting techniques they were practicing, I even took a five - hour bus ride to ask Daoist Feng. Yes, it's that very capable Daoist Feng.

His Taoist temple is just in the neighboring county of mine. After watching the video, Daoist Feng told me very surely that although he didn't recognize this kind of sword - fighting technique, he could tell that although these sword moves were fancy, they weren't just for show.

If the swords were sharpened, they could really hurt or kill people.

As for whether the swords were sharpened, it couldn't be seen because the video was blurry and the distance was far.]

After saying this, the video played the last screenshot:

[Then let's look at the most controversial part of the recorded live - stream. In the screenshot, this woman was clearly wearing modern clothes, sneakers and jeans, and she was holding a megaphone in her right hand.

It's worth noting that Ou Zheng captured her profile during the live - stream. Let me zoom in and show you. ]

The video showed the somewhat blurry but beautiful profile.

[Although it's just a profile, with that superior nose shape and that beautiful contour, I bet she must be very good - looking, and as good - looking as a celebrity.

If the video was a special effect, it would make sense for the program team to find a celebrity to participate.

But the problem is, I've searched through all the entertainers in the entertainment industry, big and small, and I just can't find out who she is.

Let's listen to what she said... Yes, this sentence "Hey! Which department are you from? Don't you know you're not allowed to record here?" ]

After playing this part, he continued: [We can draw three pieces of information from this sentence.]

[First, in this place that Ou Zheng accidentally entered, no matter what it's for, the people inside are divided into different departments.

Otherwise, it's impossible for this suddenly-appearing person to ask right off the bat which department Ou Zheng belongs to.

The second piece of information is that video recording is not allowed here. That means everything inside here needs to be kept confidential.

This also explains well why there's a maze at the entrance and why Ou Zheng took a full fifteen minutes to get out.

As for those two lost cameramen, we still don't know if they've come out yet.

Thirdly, this exclamation "Hey!"

It's a scolding tone. Without knowing which department Ou Zheng is from, this seemingly young woman directly scolded him.

It only indicates two possibilities. Either she holds a high position in this unknown place, so she can scold someone whose department she doesn't know at will. Or video recording is a very serious matter here, so no matter which department you're from, if you record a video, you're in the wrong.

And no matter which possibility it is... A Zheng is in danger!

[...This video is an interpretation based on the available information. Regarding the discussion among everyone about whether Ou Zheng accidentally wandered into a special national department, I won't make any more judgments.

I can only say that according to my analysis, these video clips were indeed filmed for real and are not the so-called special effects as rumored online.

Why do the people in the video seem to be practicing immortality, and why do dragons and phoenixes appear? Whether they are real living creatures or not is beyond my judgment.]

Shui Yizai Zhou really has the skills. At least he's not like most people who just make random guesses out of thin air.

As soon as the video appeared, he immediately took the footage around the world to contact professionals for analysis.

But precisely because of his attitude of seeking the truth, most of the netizens who originally thought it was just a special effects video switched sides.

Lose 10 Pounds to Change Nickname: [Sure enough, you're amazing, A Shui. Your video is the most authentic on the whole network! After watching it, I finally understand why I subconsciously thought it was real. Special effects simply can't create such natural fluctuations. This video must be real.]

Blackish White Rice: [Exactly! When I saw that part where hundreds of people were sword - dancing together, I knew it couldn't be special effects. I'm in this line of work. If the people under me could create such an effect, I'd even let them be the boss!]

Those who didn't switch sides were gradually convinced by other videos.

In the internet age, there are many talented people. Besides Shui Yizai Zhou, many other experts also emerged one after another to analyze and make speculations.

For example, second only to Shui Yizai Zhou in terms of popularity is a new account. His analysis angle is different from everyone else's. After presenting a bunch of valid certificates to prove his professionalism, this person with the nickname "Heavenly Book Transforms into a Kids' Cartoon" started his analysis:

[First, look at the facial expressions of these hundreds of people. As long as they're exposed to the camera, each one is different. Look at the seventh person in the fifth row from the left. He's yawning secretly, and the person next to him should be reminding him.

The woman in front of them has a very serious expression, and there's also a person behind who slipped his hand after finishing a move. Just by a rough search, I've found more than fifty people making different expressions and movements at the same time.

...So I can be 100% sure that these are definitely real people.]

[Another very important point is Ou Zheng's facial expression changes.

At first, when he came to the entrance of the maze, he was obviously a bit hesitant. From this, we can see that the program crew didn't give him any information about the maze.

There's a detail here. He looked back, probably looking at the cameraman.

As we all know, when recording a program with tasks, the program crew will use some venues to set up tasks.

Although the cameraman didn't tell him to go on, not stopping him also gave Ou Zheng the wrong signal, making him think that this was the task venue set up by the program crew.

After entering the maze, although Ou Zheng complained, looking at his micro - expressions, he was actually becoming more and more relaxed.

Because obviously, in his perception, or rather, in the perception of all of us, except for the program crew who need to set up tasks, no one would be bored enough to build a maze in this place.

So after the cameraman disappeared inexplicably, what Ou Zheng was worried about was only "Will I not get any footage because the cameraman is gone?" Let me zoom in on this expression for you.

After showing the close - up shot, he continued his analysis: [It's obvious that he was hesitating whether to wait for the cameraman, but when netizens suggested that "he be his own cameraman", Ou Zheng chose to move forward.

[The first turning point was after he reached the exit. When he saw those palaces and giants, we couldn't see Ou Zheng's expression due to the angle.

But if you look closely, you'll find that he was silent for a while here. He didn't interact with the netizens and didn't express his shock immediately. Instead, his body had a slight sway, causing the live - broadcast picture to sway slightly too.

It was a very subtle sway. So under what circumstances would such a sway occur?

I found a colleague who is similar to Ou Zheng in height, build, and age, and asked him to imitate Ou Zheng's standing position at that time for an experiment. Take a look at the experimental footage.

In the experimental footage, a man who indeed looks similar to Ou Zheng in all aspects holds a mobile phone and sways his body to different degrees.

[After various experiments with my colleague, we finally achieved the same sway as in the live - broadcast.

And the reason for such a sway is that the person holding the mobile phone, that is, Ou Zheng, took a small step back.

Taking a step back and turning his head back caused a small - arc tilt of his body, which is what we finally saw, that almost imperceptible small sway.

In the video, the man took a small step back and at the same time turned his head slightly to the side and looked back. Then the video showed the tilt degrees of two live - broadcast pictures. Except for the different pictures, everything else was exactly the same.

Heavenly Book Transforms into a Kids' Cartoon continued his analysis: [So we can infer from this that after being greatly shocked by the scene in front of him, Ou Zheng's first reaction was to look back.

Here, he already had doubts and the intention to "back out", but the audience who had been interacting with him dispelled his doubts.

To be precise, the doubts weren't completely dispelled. It's just that the audience was watching the live - broadcast, which gave him a sense of security that "he wasn't alone".

After that, as we all saw, when the giant lifted his foot and walked over, Ou Zheng didn't even have time to say a word to the audience before he started running.

And after he found a "safe pillar", Ou Zheng's doubts couldn't be suppressed by the audience's interaction anymore. He even ignored the fact that he was still "recording a program" and wanted to contact someone outside for help.

However, he sadly found that his phone had no signal.

Zooming in on the details, Ou Zheng's pupils suddenly dilated in an instant, which shows that he was greatly shocked at this moment. Under such a shock, Ou Zheng began to try to find a way out.

The slow-motion replay in the video shows Ou Zheng shifting his gaze from his phone to looking behind him. At this reduced speed, even netizens unfamiliar with microexpressions can tell that Ou Zheng was solely focused on leaving at that moment.

[Actually, when he turned his head, the dragon's tail on the pillar had already begun moving subtly, though the movement was so slight that most viewers missed it.

Ou Zheng, who was closest and should have noticed first, also failed to spot it—consistent with how nervousness can impair one's focus.

Later, when Ou Zheng saw the dragon, he immediately bolted without hesitation.

Some netizens questioned this, arguing that they’d be too terrified to even scream, let alone run so fast.

To address this, I reviewed Ou Zheng’s past videos and found that his reflexes and ability to react to danger have always been exceptional, as evident in multiple episodes.]

[For example, in Episode 12, during an unexpected mishap, a male guest lost his balance and nearly fell into the water as the boat tilted.

While everyone else froze, Ou Zheng—who wasn’t even sitting nearby—instantly rushed over and pulled him to safety.]

The video cuts to footage from that episode.

[Similarly, in Episodes 3, 5, and 28, there are instances of Ou Zheng instinctively catching falling objects.

From this, we can easily conclude that Ou Zheng’s reflexes are naturally sharper than most.

Given this, all his actions align with his established behavior.

If this were an act, he’d be a shoo-in for Best Actor—yet his acting has been widely panned in every drama he’s starred in.]

While the phrase "water carries the boat" convinced many netizens of the footage’s authenticity, the sudden shift from an ancient tome to childlike cartoons confirmed that Ou Zheng wasn’t putting on a performance.

After all… even his fans admit he’s not exactly cut out for acting.

["‘Not exactly cut out’? Lol, fans are being too polite. The reason Ou Zheng sticks to variety shows is because he can’t sing or act to save his life."]

["Wait, so does China really have a massive secret base like this?"]

["HOLY CRAP!! It’s right in Shanghai?! That’s way too brazen!!"]

["Based on my years of novel-reading experience, either Ou Zheng time-traveled, ancient cultivators crossed into our world, or that place is a portal between dimensions."]

["Exactly! If it’s a dimensional rift, it explains why there was someone in modern clothes yelling at Ou Zheng for filming."]

["^This. The interdimensional portal theory makes the most sense."]

["OMG y’all are debating whether it’s real while I’m just awestruck by those breathtaking structures?! And the dragon! The phoenix! The giant turtle!!! I NEED to see this in person!! If it’s really a portal, can’t they open it to the public?!"

["Bet a pack of spicy strips this’ll turn out to be a marketing stunt—some brand collab with Ou Zheng and the show. He’ll pop up later laughing about how it was all scripted."]

["^Dude, the Strategic Deception Bureau needs you on their team."]

["Damn, this blew up—I’m seeing discussions everywhere overseas."]

The incident did indeed spread globally at lightning speed. When it comes to the supernatural, curiosity knows no borders—especially since China already has legends like "kung fu." The video, featuring hundreds of people in Daoist robes practicing swordplay together, was catnip for international audiences.

Let’s be real: it’s the same way Chinese netizens would flock to headlines like "Witches and Unicorns Discovered in [X Country]."

And just like that, foreign viewers were equally stunned by the video’s grandeur.

Awe transcends culture. Even without understanding Chinese lore, they could feel the electrifying thrill of those scenes.

["Are those people Daoist priests?"]

["That turtle is HUGE—is it real??"]

["Why is there a ship floating in the sky? How?!"]

["Asked my Chinese friends—they say these are ‘cultivators,’ an ancient legend about people who gain power through training. Sorta like our wizards or mages."]

["Is that a Chinese dragon? Looks different from ours but terrifyingly majestic. Do creatures like this actually exist there?"]

["This is more mind-blowing than any movie."]

The influx of international commentary poured gasoline on the hype.

The only skepticism around the video’s authenticity revolved around CGI—no one doubted whether the scenes could’ve been staged with props.

Even a child could tell recreating this scale in reality would be near-impossible.

Reluctant as many are to admit it, global audiences often assume Western VFX outshine China’s. So when even foreign netizens found no flaws, the footage’s credibility skyrocketed.

["So the dimensional portal’s confirmed?! Does this mean we can all start cultivating now?!"

["I’m in Shanghai—rushed to the decoded location an hour ago. No portal, but some folks flew drones that got jammed and forced to land."]

["Drone jamming? Yeah, there’s DEF something there."]

["^Not necessarily. Lots of venues in China legally block drones for privacy or events."]

["^A private site THAT massive? That’s even weirder."]

Notably, amid the frenzy, the show "Just Kidding" didn’t go radio silent. Five hours later, they posted:

["We’ve contacted Ou Zheng. The situation isn’t what everyone assumes. Discussions are ongoing, and details will follow once resolved."]

A denial? Hardly.

This was kerosene on a bonfire.

The statement all but confirmed this wasn’t a scripted stunt—they had to reach Ou Zheng first, then negotiate with an unnamed third party before disclosing anything.

Netizens were ecstatic!

Netizens were clawing at their screens!

Netizens wished they could fast-forward to the big reveal!

Once the show chimed in, everyone knew answers like "Our world merged with a cultivation realm" were off the table.

After all, as one prophetic comment put it:

If it were fake, they would definitely deny it. If it were real, they would absolutely deny it too—it’s just a question of whether the excuse they use to debunk it would be convincing enough.

Netizens came up with all sorts of wild guesses, mostly leaning toward advertising or the show’s marketing tactics. Some particularly clever ones even speculated that this must be an ad for a special effects company.

Then, the official denial came.

The show’s production team claimed that Ou Zheng had accidentally wandered onto a movie set’s constructed filming site—those dragons and phoenixes were all props. As for the massive palace he saw, it was built by the crew for shooting convenience.

Hundreds of people practicing swordplay? They were just extras rehearsing.

And why couldn’t anyone find the identity of the person captured in the final live-stream shot? Because they weren’t a celebrity—they were a director working behind the scenes.

The general public: "..."

Did they smoothly accept this explanation and suddenly have an epiphany, going, "Oh, that makes sense"?

Not a chance!

Everyone’s first reaction was: "Do you think we’re three-year-olds? How could you throw such an obviously fake excuse at us?"

A movie set? As if none of us have ever watched a TV drama before!

Anyone who’s been online knows what a real filming set looks like. There wasn’t a single green screen in sight—everything was built with real materials. What kind of set is built like that?

And a director? Since when do directors look that stunning?

[Wow, this excuse is so half-hearted I can’t even pretend to believe it.]

[That dragon looked like it was about to leap out of the screen, and you’re telling me it’s a prop??]

[LOL, hundreds of extras rehearsing—I applaud your creativity.]

[I’ve lived this long and never seen a crew build an entire palace just for filming.]

[Honestly, I’d believe he time-traveled faster than I’d believe this ‘movie set’ nonsense.]

[Set? Prove it—let me see it with my own eyes.]

After the show’s denial, the official Weibo account was flooded at an unimaginable speed, with even some foreigners chiming in, angrily typing in broken, foreign-language-laced messages:

[You think we’ve never seen a film set before? Those were clearly real, living creatures!!!]

At this point, even casual bystanders found the excuse laughably fake.

Perhaps sensing the backlash, the production team quickly released Ou Zheng.

On his Weibo account—which had gained multiple times its usual followers in a single day—Ou Zheng posted a video.

In it, he looked healthy and cheerful, greeting everyone with a smile:

"Hello everyone, I’m Ou Zheng. I really did accidentally walk onto a movie set. Guess I was just reckless—they set up a maze to keep people out, but I somehow stumbled right in."

"The two cameramen got stopped outside. Go on, say hi to everyone."

Behind him, the two cameramen waved awkwardly at the camera.

Ou Zheng turned back to the lens: "I’ve been brought back to the hotel by the production team. Sorry for disappearing—movie shoots require confidentiality.

"Not only did I barge in, but I also live-streamed part of their set. Luckily, when the crew came to get me, they saw we were in the same industry and were pretty understanding. It took a lot of negotiation to settle things.

"This really isn’t what everyone’s imagining—no cultivation, no time travel. It was just a very elaborately built set for filming."

Did the video convince the internet?

Not at all.

If anything, it made them even more suspicious.

The conspiracy theorists: [Ou Zheng, were there armed guards standing next to you while you recorded this?]

The evidence-based skeptics: [He’s smiling the whole time—that’s not a natural smile. He’s trying to send us a message.]

The overthinkers: [The cameramen’s smiles look so stiff. Don’t give me that ‘they’re not used to being on camera’ crap—I’m not buying it.]

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍detail-obsessed bystanders: [Why wasn’t this video filmed where you were live-streaming? Why are you at a hotel instead of home? How was the set so realistic? Even big-budget movies with CGI don’t look that grand. Care to explain? (munching popcorn)]

The meme lords: [Stop overanalyzing! They said it’s a movie set. With today’s tech, it’s totally possible to create effects like that. All this talk of time travel and cultivation—the world isn’t that magical. (5 cents per post, delete the part in parentheses.)]

Ou Zheng replied diligently to the flood of comments.

[No, I’m alone in the hotel. It really was just a set—a very expensive one. I even ate a boxed lunch there!]

[I always smile! Check my old videos if you don’t believe me!]

[The cameramen really aren’t comfortable on camera—I’m not lying!!]

[Movie sets are confidential before release. I already leaked part of it by live-streaming—you think I’d be dumb enough to keep filming there? As for the hotel… I’m still shooting the variety show tomorrow!!!]

But the more earnest and quick his replies were, the less people believed him.

The general sentiment: Keep denying it all you want—we won’t believe a single word.

The comment section practically radiated Ou Zheng’s frustration. Finally, he gave up with:

[Fine, wait here. I’ll contact the crew—if they debunk it, you’ll believe them, right?]

True to his word, Ou Zheng soon shared a live-stream link, accompanied by what seemed like a desperate plea:

[The person at the end of my live-stream was the director—you’ve seen her! She’s going to explain everything LIVE, not pre-recorded! Then you’ll know I’m telling the truth!!!]

This became the most explosive live-stream in recent memory.

Countless viewers were booted out by server crashes the second they joined, stubbornly retrying until they finally got in.

When they did, they saw a beautiful woman standing in front of a slowly swaying dragon tail, gently stroking it.

As she petted the tail, she turned to explain:

"This really is a prop made by our crew. It functions like a camera, tracking moving objects in its line of sight, which makes it seem alive."

Viewers who managed to get in scrutinized her face—and sure enough, she was the same woman from the live-stream.

The woman introduced herself as Xu Man, the chief director of the film The Cultivator:

"Everyone else is in period costumes, but I’m in modern clothes because I’m the director—I don’t need to rehearse. And the megaphone isn’t some magical artifact; it’s just a standard director’s tool. I always carry it for convenience."

She then led the camera to stand beneath a giant bird soaring overhead: "This is indeed a phoenix, but it’s man-made—using drone technology. It can only fly short distances."

"This turtle is obviously also a prop. It can't even walk—it's just used as part of the background."

"The giants are background elements too, so they mostly just walk around here. Let me unscrew a bolt to show you."

By now, even the netizens who had firmly believed "this must be real" were starting to waver.

The main reason was that almost every creature, big or small, they'd seen in the video had been exposed as "fake" by director Xu Man during the livestream.

This included the hundreds of extras currently enjoying their snacks. Their faces had been recognized countless times before, so the moment they appeared on screen, they were instantly identified. Several young extras even eagerly stepped forward to "prove themselves."

"I played a soldier in Legend of the Sentence, Episode 7, at the 32-minute-50-second mark. That should prove I'm an extra, right?"

"Me too! I played a palace maid in Harem Beauties and even cross-dressed as a eunuch."

"And me! I’ve played a street vendor, a maid, and 'Random Passerby A' in… well, you can just search for me!"

Seizing this rare chance to be recognized by the public, the young extras were all enthusiastically volunteering. Some even pulled out their phones to play clips of their past roles in already-aired shows.

Livestream viewers: "……"

With such undeniable evidence, even those who desperately wanted to chant "I don’t believe it!" had no choice but to accept the truth.

The video had no special effects—because everything was a physical prop.

Ou Zheng hadn’t lied—because he’d genuinely stumbled into the set unknowingly.

The hundreds of "disciples" weren’t fake—because they were all real extras.

Xu Man, who appeared on camera, wasn’t an actress despite her stunning looks—because, absurdly enough, she was the director.

The truth was so coincidental, so ludicrous, that it felt even more unbelievable than the idea of a "portal between two worlds."

This was beyond ridiculous!

Who films a movie like this?!

This wasn’t just a set—it was as if someone had ripped a celestial palace straight out of a cultivation novel and plopped it into reality.

And the cost? Even those with no industry knowledge could tell: every single detail of this set was burning through money!

All for a movie?!

Compared to "filming a movie," the idea of "cultivators crossing worlds" was somehow easier to swallow!

One stubborn netizen asked: If what you’re saying is true, then why couldn’t Ou Zheng get a phone signal to make calls? And how could he keep livestreaming without signal?!

A lazy voice chimed in from off-screen: "Because we have Wi-Fi."

"The signal here is terrible, so we set up Wi-Fi everywhere. No password—just connect."

Xu Man smiled at the newcomer. "What brings you here?"

"I came to join the fun. After all, I’m an investor."

The speaker stepped into frame and held up her phone to the camera, showing the connected Wi-Fi network: "Ethereal Palace 520." Below it, nine other networks with equally whimsical names like "Celestial Abode" were listed.

Livestream viewers were stunned—and not just by the Wi-Fi names.

Holy crap!!! Sheng Quan?!

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

Our CEO Sheng is an investor?!

Now that Sheng Quan’s involved, the insane budget suddenly makes sense.

Wait, who’s Sheng Quan? Another celebrity?

For those who don’t know our CEO Sheng: she once bought an entire skyscraper in downtown Shanghai just to house her company. She also donated 100 million in a charity entertainment show. This is the woman who lets fans binge entire series from her personal archive!

With Sheng Quan’s appearance, everything fell into place.

After all, she had a well-documented history of throwing money at things.

Sheng Quan leaned affectionately against Xu Man, their close friendship obvious:

"The Cultivators is meant to be a surprise for audiences, but giving everyone a little sneak peek isn’t bad either. Since you all love the set so much, we’re feeling pretty confident now."

"If you’re into xianxia, check out The Cultivators when it releases. Sure, Ou Zheng’s livestream spoiled a bit, but it’s only a tiny fraction. The really intricate props we prepared are all on the other side—completely unspoiled! So the viewing experience isn’t ruined."

Netizens were floored again.

This jaw-dropping set was just a small part?!

There’s more?!

Their disbelief instantly morphed into desperate anticipation.

OMG!! When’s the release date? I’d watch this just for the sets!!!

CEO Sheng’s legendary!! Who even makes props like this?!

I NEED to see this!! A movie so real everyone thought it was actual magic?!

This is only a fraction?! I’m officially hyped!

Just let me see the film, and I’ll 100% believe it’s all props!

Sheng Quan signaled to the crew handling the livestream:

"Even though some of the set got leaked, consider this early publicity. A happy occasion—let’s share some red packets for everyone to celebrate."

The grand spectacle ended with Sheng Quan showering the chat in virtual red packets.

The "rain" ranged from small sums many could grab to hefty amounts that left lucky winners grinning for days.

Ou Zheng gained a massive follower boost from the incident, while the Just Laugh show scored exposure and permission to feature his footage in their next episode—guaranteeing another win-win.

As for The Cultivators crew? The film hadn’t even premiered yet, but it had already ignited global anticipation.

Audiences suddenly realized: they weren’t opposed to xianxia films. Even if the plot was mediocre, they’d gladly watch for the sheer spectacle.

And this one might actually be good.

The viral "search for immortals" even sparked a surge in cultivation novels and modern cross-world stories, single-handedly elevating the genre’s popularity.

Xu Man’s career also got a noticeable bump from The Cultivators’ audacious reveal, adding three months to Sheng Quan’s "lifespan" in the process.

The wildly successful marketing campaign emboldened investors, who began aggressively networking to maximize returns on their shared golden goose.

The only unhappy parties? The paparazzi.

After pinpointing the location, they’d planned every angle for sneaky shots and uploads.

Yet despite throwing every trick in the book, they came up empty.

Disguised as drone hobbyists, the frustrated photographers ranted:

"Why ban drones? This isn’t even your private property!"

The next day, when they returned, they noticed signs posted around the film set.

【Private Property, No Entry】

The paparazzi: "..."

After some investigation, everyone was stunned.

This vast stretch of land, home to the grand celestial palace set...

Actually belonged to Sheng Quan?!